Son of a Yakuza!
by ForeverDarkRider
Summary: Rei is the son of a murdered yakuza boss out for revenge. He's trained himself to be a cold, unfeeling assassin to track down the killer, but what happens when he finds someone he begins to care for? Better summary inside! M for violence, gore, later YAOI
1. Prologue

_**Summary:**_ Rei is the son of a murdered yakuza boss. Now all he wants is revenge, but how is a teenage, orphaned boy supposed to track down his father's murderers? Simple: become a cold, uncaring assassin-for-hire for random gangs. How else would he pick up information but by infiltrating gangs, collecting information as he goes, and tracking down the killers from scratch? But what happens when, completely unexpected, unprepared, and unwanted, Rei finds something (_someone?_) that he wants to protect after being on his own for two years?

_**Warning!: **_**OOCness, language, violence, ****_GORE_, and later possible yaoi. Please do not read if you are squeamish!**

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own Beyblade, no matter how much I wish I did.**

_**A/N:**_** Please, _please_! Heed the warning! And thank you for reading.**

_**Prologue**_

Bringing the twin blades down upon his victim, the boy chuckled bitterly to himself. He contemplated his chances of getting out of this mess alive as the knives sliced through the body of the gang member, one of many that have been intimately aquainted with his blades in the past hour and a half. Screaming in pain, the man dropped to the ground holding the wounds as his life's blood seeped from the large, open gashes. Turning, the boy moved on to his next target, leaving the dying man to suffer alone.

"You bastard! You won't get away!" a man screamed from behind the boy as he lunged forward with a ferocious battle cry, his fist poised to strike the boy's face. "I will get revenge for our boss, damn you!"

Twirling safely out of reach of the man's punch, Rei countered with a powerful punch of his own straight to the jaw of his attacker. With a sickening _crack_, the man's jaw was broken, blood seeping from his mouth where the bone had protruded through his flesh on the inside of his cheek. "You'll do what?" Rei asked, smiling coldly down at the fallen man as he gagged and choked on his own blood.

Eyes widened in terror as the neko-jin advanced on him, eyes dead and uncaring after years of extensive practice in the art of assassination. The fearful eyes locked with his inevitable killer's chilling eyes, and all the air escaped the man's chest as the blood and fear slowly choked the breath out of him.

Advancing still, Rei looked down at the man he was about to kill with no regret, no guilt. After the first ten or so people, he had trained himself to become unfeeling, and had succeeded. Now, all he thought about was revenge for his father's murder. If it meant becoming a monster or being killed himself, then so be it. Raising the blade in his right hand, he prepared to deliver the final blow when a shot rang out. His body jerked backwards as the bullet thudded into his left shoulder. Catching his balance, he prepared to strike back at the unseen assailant hiding somewhere in the shadows of the maze-like gang hideout, but was stopped short when the man whose jaw he had broken summoned all of his strength and pounced upon the neko-jin, knocking them both to the ground.

The man knew that he couldn't hold the boy for long. The kid was, by far, much stronger than he was to begin with, he hated to admit, but add the fact that he was weakened by his injury, and he was widely outmatched, despite how lanky and thin the boy was. Taking advantage of the wound that his comrade had inflicted upon the raven-haired boy, he pressed his palm into his shoulder. Hard. He was rewarded by the boy emitting a feral growl of pain and rage from deep within his throat that seemed to resonate around the hideout.

The man sitting on top of him shivered involuntarily in fear, his skin crawling at the deadly threat that was laced within the growl. He then made the mistake of looking down into the boy's eyes and his mind seemed to freeze. The boy had such a look of loathing and pure murderous intent on his face that the feelings emitted from his body seemed to be tangible, like the man could reach out and feel the rage pouring from the boy.

"Mind getting off?" Rei asked, his voice coaxed into that of an innocent child. His eyes looked anything but innocent when he said it. Eyes that were trained on the burly man sitting atop him whose palm was pressing painfully into the bullet wound in his shoulder, and whose blood was dripping onto his clean black sleeveless shirt, were that of an enraged killer: cold, calculating, unfeeling, and deadly. Rei felt the man atop him shudder and he smiled, purposefully making himself look like a crazed lunatic that was out for blood. He got exactly the response he was looking for: the pressure on his shoulder from the heavy man receded, the man's eyes showed pure terror, like a rabbit that was being toyed with by a cat and knew that it was going to die. His face went white, all the color draining from his skin at such a pace that it caused him to become dizzy. Fear made him nauseous and frantic, and he began to shake uncontrollably; the prey showing weakness to the predator. That was all that Rei needed. Thrusting the palm of his right hand, the side that wasn't injured, onto the lower part of the man's ribs, right on the sternum, he shoved the man off and to the ground, his arm still registering the vibration of the hair-raising _crunch_ from the man's now broken rib cage.

"Gah!" the man blurted after making impact with the ground and jarring his injuries. Gasping for breath, his eyes darted around frantically, searching futilely for some way to save himself.

Raising himself off the ground, Rei stalked towards the now-defenseless man but was stopped as his unseen attacker from before finally stepped out of the shadows to confront him. His face contorted into a rare display of chilling rage as he saw who the man was. "Lee!" he spat venomously.

The man stepped up to the bleeding boy and stared down at him. "Long time no see, dear brother, I'm impressed. Since when did you start killing people? I thought you didn't like to hurt anyone unless it was for self-defense. And since when did you do it without so much as a tinge of guilt?" he asked with an ironic brotherly tone. "I hear you have been searching for our father's murderer." He said while the two brothers circled each other like two panthers ready to pounce on an intruder. "Now that you found me, what will you do?" he asked, with a satisfied smirk.

"I'll kill you!" Rei hissed in a low voice. Regular people wouldn't be able to hear it, but he and his brother were far from regular; Lee couldn't have missed it if he tried, being the neko-jin that he is. Without warning, Rei lunged forward, rage winning over reason, and brought both of his blades up, intent on cutting his brother down, then and there. His brother, being older and wiser by two years, easily evaded his inferior attack and brought his hand down on the back of the younger boy's neck, causing him to fall to the ground. Before he could regain his senses and get up to attack again, Lee placed his foot on his back to hold him down.

"You may have been the best fighter when we were both still in the Koreha gang, but I've had more time on the streets than you. You never learned how to rough it on your own on the streets. That was a big mistake, little brother," Lee sneered. "You joined a gang when you left Dad's(1), to find the killer, so you never learned some of the skills that I've picked up," he gloated at his peeved brother. "So how did you find out that I was the one who killed Dad?" he asked, truly curious.

"You're the only person I know that uses a butterfly knife to kill people," he stated matter-of-factly. "It's small and does little damage when comparing it to other knives, like my two blades," he motioned with a small nod of his head to the two blades he held in his hands. "But it causes a lot of bleeding and pain before your victim dies. You're the only person that's sick enough to want to cause such torment."

Lee smiled gleefully, his pride fueled by his brother's words. "I'll take that as a compliment, dear Rei. Thank you," he said before a predatory gleam alighted in his eyes. His muscles bunching, Lee pulled Rei from the ground, butterfly knife in hand, ready to strike. Caught off guard, a look of shock passed fleetingly across Rei's face, before the knife was plunged into his gut, the force knocking the wind out of him.

"Bas…tard," he gasped before falling to his knees, clutching the fresh wound in his stomach. Before his brother could strike again, running feet were heard coming down the hall, closer than was comfortable for Rei. _If more people show up, I'm screwed. _Rei thought desperately. _I can barely…no…I __can't__ handle my brother, so how am I supposed to handle-_he paused in his thoughts to count the sounds of the footsteps, _more than twenty people in this condition? Damn it! I will not die before my brother!_

Gathering all his remaining strength, Rei bolted towards the way he knew would take him outside. _At least all those hours of studying the blueprints for this place paid off_, he thought. Before the current gang he was in had sent him to their rival gang to kill their boss, he had studied the layout of the place so he knew where all the exits were. It was something his father had taught him to do whenever he went somewhere new. It was required for him and his brother since they were the Koreha boss' sons, and if anyone ever found out, there was a chance they could be held hostage. So Rei and Lee had learned the layout of all the gang hideouts in the area around the Koreha hideout, just to be safe. They could find their way out of twelve different places, no problem, without ever having stepped foot in any of them before. Now, he was a long way from home; he was in Japan, whereas his home was in China, but whenever he joined a new gang, he always looked at the blueprints of any yakuza hideouts within a hundred mile radius, including the hideout of the gang he was currently in, just to be safe. Now, he was finding it really paid off, even though at the time, he couldn't see the logic in boring himself to death, staring at a map of a building.

Running down the hall as fast as he could, in the opposite direction of his brother and the running footsteps, he took a left at the corner. Thinking back to the blueprints, his body automatically made the turns for him, while his mind was occupied with thoughts of where he was going to go once he was out. Straight. _It's too far to the Kamikaze hideout(2), I'll never make it._ He thought while still running. Right. _I can't go back to the Yorukai gang; they would kill me for leaving. _Another right. _I don't have any friends, so a friend's house is out. Not that I would trust any 'friends' that I could have, anyway. _Passing through the door, Rei was greeted by the light of the moon staring accusingly at him. _If I make a right, it will lead me to an abandoned building, left will lead me to the park. _He thought quickly. He could hear footfalls behind him and knew that the others were getting close. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of his brother barking orders at them.

"He has no where to go with those injuries! He'll most likely head to the abandoned building on Wong Street! Head him off!" Several 'yes sirs' and the sound of shuffling feet coming towards him followed the command made by his brother. Making up his mind, Rei turned left towards the park. _I guess I can hide out there somewhere,_ he thought, as he jogged across the street and into an alley, putting some distance and hiding himself from his followers.

After fifteen minutes of running through alleys, down streets, and through random buildings, he finally made it to the park, completely spent and exhausted. Looking around, his heart sank. There was no where obvious to him that he could hide. Sighing, he plopped down on the grass and stared blankly at an oak tree, fifteen feet away.

After a few minutes of senseless staring, he stood up and decided to give in and try to make it back to the Kamikaze hideout before he bled to death. Just as that thought occurred to him, a wave of dizziness hit him. _I guess I really have no choice._ Walking over to the oak tree, the raven-haired teen began to climb it, slowly and stiffly, the wounds burning and stretching the whole way up. He perched himself on one of the high branches, his back against the trunk, and one leg dangling off the branch, while the other foot rested on the tree with his knee pulled up to his chest so he could drape his sore left arm over it. His right arm held the wound in his stomach to try and stem the flow of blood. It wasn't long before the world around him went dark.

TBC

**(1)The Koreha gang is the name of their dad's gang. That's what Lee meant by 'when you left Dad's'. He meant 'when you left Dad's gang, the Koreha gang'. I just didn't think that it would make sense if I put it in there…**

**(2)The Kamikaze hideout is the yakuza gang that Rei is currently working with.**

_**A/N: **_**Well? How was it? I made it really gory without meaning to…I kind of liked the effect myself though, instead of just putting in the little minor details like I did for Sinister Love, but what did you guys think?**

**Please review!**


	2. Meeting in the Mansion

**_Author's Note: _Wow...it's been so long since I've updated! I'm sorry guys! Don't hate me! TT_TT**

_**Disclaimer:**_** Me no own, so you no sue! Thanks! X3**

_**Chapter One**_

Rei jerked awake, the snapping of a twig causing him to become instantly alert. The events of just a few hours ago washed over him in waves and he was momentarily lost in the vertigo(1) before shaking his head as if to physically remove the memories. He immediately ceased the action as he began to feel nauseas and light-headed. _Damn...If I pass out again..._the assassin let the thought hang, not wanting to think about what could have happened if he'd been found.

Momentarily breaking out of his thoughts, the young assassin focused intently. He forced his tired eyes to search the still-darkened park while he strained to hear any other sounds coming from the darkness. Hearing a rustling, he snapped his eyes to the ground at a spot just to the right of the tree he was in. Sighing, the neko clicked his tongue quietly in annoyance at himself as he leaned back against the tree once more and watched the small black cat play with a broken tree branch that had fallen to the earth.

Satisfied that he was in no immediate danger, Rei closed his eyes and sighed again, trying to relax his aching muscles. Just as he did so, they tensed up again, his body going rigid in anger. How could he, a skilled and seasoned assassin, make such a mistake as to get so worked up by a target? Rule number two in his own personal set of rules: never let your emotions control your actions. Never. So how could he have forgotten one of his five most important rules like some foolish rookie?

The teen opened his golden eyes and leaned forward on the tree branch to rest his arms on his knees. Out of frustration, he laced the fingers of one hand through his raven colored bangs, his palm resting on his forehead while he stared sightlessly into the darkness. "Damn..." he muttered quietly; the word would have been inaudible to anyone or anything but him, it was uttered so quietly. _I know how,_ he thought, _I just don't want to admit it...Lee has always gotten the best of me. He knows just how to push my buttons, even without saying anything..._

A jolt of pain shot through the boy's side and he winced, grunting slightly, and his hand flew to his side. It had stopped bleeding now, but he still lost a lot of blood. Cursing whoever hated him so much, he checked the injury in his shoulder. Nodding in approval, he felt a small burden lift itself from his shoulders; his shoulder had stopped bleeding as well and wasn't as bad as he had initially thought.

Gathering his resolve, Rei decided that he couldn't stay there any longer. He needed to get out of there. Either the men his brother sent after him would finally develop brains and come after him, or he would pass out again from the blood loss. Figuring that neither was to his liking, he slowly climbed down from the tree. His body protested, shaking slightly from the strain of holding its own weight against the tree as the graceful boy descended.

As his feet touched bottom, he braced himself against the trunk of the oak tree, shaking, out of breath, and all color drained from his face. _Okay, maybe I'm not as well of as I thought, _he mused.

After standing motionless and sucking in deep gulps of air for what seemed like an eternity, Rei finally stood up straight. He paused for a moment to make sure he wasn't going to pass out from the vertical stance before beginning to walk slowly and stiffly, wincing every so often from shooting pain in his side.

_I have to find somewhere to stay for the night, _he thought logically. There was no way he could go back and find Lee now, no matter how much he longed to. And oh, how he longed to. He wanted so badly to wrap his nimble fingers around the man's neck and slowly squeeze the life out of him. To watch as the fear-and there would be fear, damn it-drained out of his eyes and was replaced with the dull sheen of death. Rei's fingers twitched in anticipation and a cruel smile formed on his face as he pictured Lee dragging in his last breaths through the small portal of opening Rei would leave to prolong his suffering. Oh, yes. Lee's death had been something Rei had thought about, _dreamed about, _for the past two years. It was what he lived for; why he was still alive.

Dragging his mind away from those alluring thoughts, the nimble teen stumbled along through the park, avoiding the sidewalk that snaked through it and the occasional street lights positioned along the walk.

After aimlessly walking the streets until almost sun-up, Rei heard a soft mewing sound. Looking around, he saw that same black cat from before. Ignoring it, he continued his quest for a place to crash, but the cat was persistent. It kept mewing at him and chasing his heels. Finally giving in to the insistant mewing, Rei turned to it. "What is it little one?" he murmered softly. He had always had a soft spot for cats, and this one aroused his curiosity. In response to the boy's question, the cat meowed one more time before turning and jogging off. Rei shrugged and followed, figuring he really had nothing to lose.

After a long while of walking, the cat looked back one last time, looked Rei right in the face as if trying to tell him something, and ran off. Confused, Rei looked up at the place that the strange cat had brought him to. His eyes widened in surprised. The damn cat had found a spot that looked suitable to crash for a little while. Thanking the cat silently, he approached the building, contemplating what it could have been used for.

The place was huge, made mostly of pristine white marble. There were several windows along the parts of the building that he could see. Seeing as the place was so big, when he stood directly in front of it he could only see the front. He looked up and noticed that there were three floors. Along the second floor there was a rounded balcony that stretched along almost the whole width of the building, stopping a few feet short of each side. Pillars came down from the balcony, forming an arch around the first floor. The third floor didn't look all that special, other than the expensive-looking curtains that he could see hanging in the windows. No lights were on, so Rei figured that the place was abandoned, at least for the moment. _With a place this big, someone would have to be here to clean and do maintanence,_ he reasoned. But there were no lights on from what he could see, so maybe the owners were out and the employees slacking?

Just to check, Rei made a loop around the whole place, peeking in windows to look for any signs of movement or any lights streaming from under doors. Satisfied that the place was empty, at least for right now, he walked up the steps that lead to the front door.

The immense oak double doors looked impressive and intimidating at the same time as he stepped up to them. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst, the lithe figure, shrouded in the shadows of the still-early morning tested the handle. Locked. _Not that I expected much else, _he mused humorlessly.

Rei knelt on one knee, reaching for his sleek black boots. Sometimes it was convenient to keep his blades in his boots. It could be uncomfortable, but it was times like these when Rei was glad that he had his boots special made. They were solid black, perfectly fitted, and built with three buckles on the outside parts of each. The buckles could easily be opened for fast access to special compartments that were made to keep one blade in each boot. They were also made for stealth, the material being strong, so as not to get snagged on anything when on a job or in flight, and the soles of the boots were made of sturdy material. They were optimal for silence; perfect for an assassin.

Undoing the buckles on his right boot, Rei pulled out one of his trusty blades. Each of the blades held a special meaning to him. On the left one, he had a blue flame carved and painted into the handle. It resembled his resolve for revenge. On the right was the head of a white tiger. A symbol for courage, bravery, and determination.

Slowly standing up, his muscles protested, making him grit his teeth in an attempt to ease pain with pain. Gathering himself up, he took the sleek, well-managed blade and placed it in the crack between the doors and moved it skillfully up and down between the area where the locks would be in place, careful not to leave any signs of a break-in. After a satisfying click, Rei took one last look around before turning the handle and pushing the door open, stepping into the darkness within the building.

Pausing just inside the door, the neko allowed his eyes adjust to the dimness of the room before closing the door behind him and locking it once more. Stooping, he placed the blade back in his right boot and then straightened, taking in his surroundings. Always on his guard, his first instinct was to scout out the area and make sure the coast was clear.

**_..._**

An hour later, Rei had staked out the whole place. Turned out it was a well-kept hotel. Rei shrugged. He didn't much care. All that he cared about was getting some rest before he died from exhaustion, pain, or blood loss. "Maybe all three," he muttered bitterly to himself, still angry at his actions.

His body was now protesting harshly, his muscles tightening in a painful way, pain snaking its way up his side to his back and abdomen. His shoulder was throbbing and he had a headache from lack of sleep and blood. Probably lack of food, too.

Sighing dejectedly, Rei gave in to the inevitable and climbed the spiral steps that rose from the middle of the first floor. He took a right when he reached the top and headed down the long hallway that he remembered held a room that suited his tastes. The trained professional had already mapped out the whole building, having no problems with memorizing every square inch of the place.

The room he chose to stay in was on the second floor. It was plain and had little items in it, seemingly a guest room. He liked that. Not that he was a guest in this house, nor did he want to be one, but...some of the other rooms had a lot of personal items in them. He didn't like that; mainly because it meant that the owners could be back at any time. Question was: when? Just how _much _time did he have before he was discovered?

The other reason he didn't like the fact that there were a lot of personal possessions in the rooms was that it gave him the feeling that he was missing out on something. He didn't and never did like keeping many personal items for himself with his profession. He never knew when he would have to up and relocate, so he never bothered to buy anything that may become personal to him. It was better that way; he wouldn't have many things to pack when he left. The only things of personal value he had were his knives.

Sauntering over to a door he knew lead to a connected bathroom-more like a sauna with the size of the room and the large whirlpool bath-he opened the door, slipped inside, and quietly closed the door back behind him. Still wary, despite having searched the whole place, Rei stripped off his sleeveless black hoodie, followed by his also-sleeveless black form-fitting tank top. He hissed in pain as the fabric stuck to the dried blood on his shoulder and side, and his face twisted slightly in pain, but no other sounds or movements gave away the immense pain it caused him.

Releasing the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, he dropped the ruined shirt to the floor and heard the slight rustle as it landed on the tile. Walking to the tub, he plugged the bottom and turned the hot water on, waiting for it to warm up, before turning a small amount of cold water on with it so he wouldn't scald himself when he stepped in.

While waiting for the tub to fill, he opened a cabinet door and pulled out two towels: one for his body and one for his long raven tresses that, when released from the black wrap he currently had it in, came down to the middle of his back when wet.

The whirlpool bath filled surprisingly fast-not all _that_ surprising actually, considering the expenses that must have been put into the place-and in no time at all, Rei had removed his socks and boots, and stripped himself of his black, form-fitting leather pants, along with his boxers, also black. He then removed the black leather collar with the silver buckle that matched his boots from around his neck. He had recieved it from a colleague-one of the few that he actually trusted to a certain extent-as a joke for his fourteenth birthday. He never intended on wearing it, but the person he had gotten it from was killed in a gang war only a few weeks after, while watching Rei's back. He now wore it as a momento of the man, as well as a reminder to himself of the consequences of not being aware of your surroundings at all times. He also had matching arm buckles that went around his biceps. It was his poor attempt at a sense of humor; a way to, perhaps, appease his friend's-no, he wasn't quite a friend-his _ally's_ death. Rei knew he was being stupid, but it was his way of coping.

Turning off the faucet, Rei stepped into the water and lay himself down, resting his back on the side of the tub. He had left the jets off, though he would have liked to have used them, but they would have irritated his wounds to no end and cause quite a bit of pain, which may result in him inevitably passing out again and drowning. That was all he needed. He could see it now: **_'Infamous Teenage Assassin Done in by Jacuzzi.'_** The press would have a hay-day with the story. He would be turning over in his grave with all the humiliation it would cause him. Not to mention he wouldn't be able to face his father if he were to die in such a pitiful way. He would die eventually, but he would go down fighting, with pride.

Sucking in a deep breath, Rei sank down deeper in the tub water, not releasing the breath until he was submerged up to his chin. Closing his eyes, he finally allowed himself to relax completely.

**_..._**

After his bath, Rei cursed his own stupidity. In his desperation to take a hot bath and soothe his aching muscles, he hadn't taken into consideration what the water would do to his wounds. Of course it would soften his barely-formed scabs, causing the blood to flow freely again! He had opened his tired eyes twenty minutes into his bath to see his water had turned a transparent shade of red. Instantly, he had climbed out of the tub to recover the first aid kit from atop the toilet, the place he had set it after finding it in the cupboard. He swiftly wrapped up his wounds haphazardly to slow the flow of blood.

Walking back into the plain bedroom wearing only the bandages and a towel around his waist, his hair having already been wrapped up in its traditional style, allowing it to cascade down his back, he went to the window.

The teen pushed the curtains aside, not even an inch, and peeked out. The sun was now rising. He guessed it was around six thirty or so, and a quick glance at the digital clock on the nightstand near the bed confirmed it.

Rei searched the semi-darkness once more for any sign of the owners of the large mansion before gently pulling the curtain back in place so it wouldn't rustle. It was a habit he had picked up so as not to arouse any possible passers-by's suspicions on a break-in, resulting in the police being summoned.

Stepping away from the window, he walked back to the bathroom and retrieved his ruined under shirt before tossing it in the bathtub. It was not a good idea to leave it lying on the floor where blood could seep into the seams of the tile; better to put it in the tub where he could wash the blood down the drain.

Moving to his boxers and blood-stained, yet still salvageable pants, he slipped them back over his slim hips, along with his equally blood-stained hoodie.

Sighing, he scrubbed a hand over his face in frustration and exhaustion before going back to the inviting bed. Maybe he could grab a couple hours of sleep before the owners returned.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard movement from downstairs. _The guys tracking me or the home owners...? _he wondered somewhat anxiously.

Flipping off the light, he walked to the bedroom door and pressed his ear close. Hearing no movement from the floor he was on, he slipped into the hallway to look over the banister of the elegant staircase. Below him, he saw several figures moving around the downstairs: a blonde, a rowdy looking blunette, a meek-looking boy wearing glasses, and a tall, two-tone-haired boy with blood-rich eyes.

"Man! That bus ride took so long!" The blunette whined. "Why'd we have to take the bus anyway, Kai? Why not take your private jet?" Rei's eyes widened at the boy's words. _How much money do these guys have...? _he wondered idly, remembering the expensive upholstered furniture, and the tasteful decorations.

The teen called 'Kai' made a noise low in his throat, the sound similar to that of a growl. "Well if _someone _hadn't slept in _again_, then we wouldn't have had to, now would we?" A crimson glare was projected towards the obnoxious-sounding boy, one so intense that it almost seemed as if the fires of hell would leap out of them and singe the object of their annoyance.

"But we were training for so long and-"

"Tyson!" The blonde, freckled boy interrupted his terrade with a glare and a stern look that didn't even half rival that of the two-toned hair's.

Tyson's mouth snapped shut with an audible _click _at the boy's weak command. "Hmph," he muttered before turning away, taking orders from the small, frail-looking blonde like he was his master, when the fierce glare of the obvious boy in command had not even phased him in his argument.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The voices from downstairs ceased as all eyes traveled upwards and settled on the previously unnoticed assassin. Amber eyes clashed momentarily with those of crimson ones before he spun swiftly around, his body tensed and ready for action, as he prepared to confront his unexpected visitor.

_How the hell did he get behind me without me noticing?_ Rei cursed silently in his native tongue as his eyes rested on a boy with about his same physique. The only difference in their bodies was the slight two inches the boy before him had on him.

Rei refused to tilt his head back and appear inferior, and instead chose to shift his eyes upward slightly to look into mischevious cerulean. Fire red hair assaulted his amber orbs, and a wolfish grin on the other's face drew his attention.

"Heh. It seems as if we have a stray kitten, Kai," he said, addressing the slate-haired boy below, his eyes never leaving Rei's face. His grin grew larger. "Or is he a cat burglar?"

_Uh oh...This could mean trouble, _Rei scowled.

**_(1)_ Vertigo: dizziness**

**_Um...well! A weak attempt at humor at the end, but...whatever! Uhh...sorry for the lateness of this chapter =S -bows deeply- So so so sorry!_**

**_Anyway...review? If you're still out there?_**


	3. Dr D

_**A/N: **_**-Sigh- I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I've actually had the majority of it done for a while but…it'd been so long since I read the first couple chapters that I had to go through and make sure my information about certain parts weren't contradicting each other. I hope you like this chapter despite its shortness…I hope that everything makes sense and the characters aren't too…unbelievable? Yeah, that's the word. Anyway! I hope you enjoy.**

_**DISCLAIMER: Despite my long leave of absence, I still do not own Beyblade and characters.**_

_**Chapter Two**_

"_Heh. It seems as if we have a stray kitten, Kai. Or is he a cat burglar?"_

Rei tensed, his body automatically readying itself for fight or flight.

"So what are you doing here, kitty-cat?" The redhead before him drawled smoothly, a lazy grin plastered across his face.

The young assassin decided to take up the offensive in the hopes of warding off the teen, even for a moment. "None of your business," he spat, glaring harshly.

"Oh-ho! The feline hisses!"

"Stop playing with him, Tala," a voice came from Rei's right. His eyes widened as his apparent lack of attentiveness allowed another unwanted person to sneak up on him. Wary about turning away from Tala, who was close enough to reach out and wrap one of his slender hands around the neko-jin's throat, Rei chose to keep his eyes locked with the cerulean orbs rather than turning to the new arrival.

"Aw, Bryan, I'm just having a little fun!" Tala whined in a very childlike voice. Rei silently scoffed at the pathetic sound.

Bryan huffed, whether in annoyance or something else, the raven head didn't know. "Yes, but we should be focusing on why he is here."

Tala seemed to pout for a moment before muttering, "That's what I was _trying_ to do."

Taking advantage of their half-hearted banter, Rei tensed his muscles, leaned forward slightly, before bringing himself back up, flinging himself bodily over the railing behind him. Fleetingly, he saw the look of astonishment on the features of the cerulean-eyed nuisance and caught sight of a mop of brown hair on a quite buff male, before he flipped in midair to land painfully in a crouch on the first floor. He hissed in pain, not from the impact, but from the stress on his still-fresh wounds, before trying to stand erect.

As he did so, he realized that he had just left the company of two men, to the company of four. He screamed at himself internally, cursing his stupidity, and turned to face them.

Purposefully slitting his eyes in a very feline-like fashion, he coupled the effect with a feral growl that erupted from deep in his chest. The sound was low and dangerous, usually invoking fear and intimidation that he intended. Rei noted with satisfaction that the desired reaction was achieved with the three less imposing figures, but as he stared down the one known as Kai, standing directly before him, his antics seemed not to faze him, but to contrarily amuse him. _What the hell? _he thought, feeling an unfamiliar tinge of panic, yet allowing none of his doubts to show on his face.

As if to further smite him, the crimson eyed male's lips quirked upwards slightly, giving the impression of a smile that was not quite there, almost like the ghost of an image. "Going somewhere?" he asked coldly.

The male enigma's voice sent a strange rippling effect throughout the youth assassin's body, stealing away any retort he might have made. Incapable of speech he took the 'actions speak louder than words' saying to heart, choosing to turn and flee in the direction of the large double doors in which he had entered through hours before.

Almost as if sensing the motion beforehand, Kai darted past him with startling agility, cutting him off. The other three, thankfully enough, remained as they were, unable to comprehend the situation while the two on the second floor viewed the spectacle below in wry amusement.

Abruptly changing his course to veer around the figure in front of him, Rei pivoted sharply, before ducking under an outstretched arm, sprinting for the doors. His pursuer easily managed to keep pace, and grabbed him from behind, knocking them both to the ground.

"Nice catch, Kai!" One of them shouted. Who though, it did not matter to Rei. The breath wheezed out of his lungs on impact, and he struggled to get up, only to be halted by a stabbing pain to his side. _Damn!_ He cursed, frustrated at his vulnerable state.

With pain coursing through his body, almost as if it were being transmitted through his very veins, along with his still-diminishing blood, he was completely immobile. Suddenly, it felt as if his body was being compressed by a weight far greater than that of the male atop him, paralyzing him and rendering him helpless. He struggled for breath, panic clawing at his chest with each unsuccessful attempt. _I will not die yet! _He thought frantically, fighting relentlessly without positive results. _Not with that bastard still out there!_

…

Kai watched the strange boy as his chest heaved, as if he were being crushed, but Kai knew that he was not applying so much force as to restrict his breathing. Yet the lithe male's complexion quickly turned ashen even as the thought crossed his mind, and he quickly eased his weight off the younger. Even after he had removed himself so that he was no longer lying on the raven beauty, he remained unmoving, his breathing ragged and heavy, coming in short pants, eyes closed, jaw clenched, all muscles tightly tensed. Sweat was beginning to form along his brow and immense pain clearly showed on his face.

Knowing that he hadn't caused the male's injuries, he sought the perpetrator. But maybe he had landed wrong and twisted something? The young heir didn't hear or feel any signs of a break when they tumbled to the ground, but what if he _had _broken something? Then it _would _be his fault.

Cursing his compassionate side, despite his cool exterior and the fact that this boy had broken into his home, he took a moment to peruse the kid's body, searching for the source of his discomfort. Noticing a white bandage visible from beneath the meager sleeve of the black army shirt, he chose to investigate, his brows furrowed, and pulled the piece of fabric down to reveal an expanse of white wrapped around the entirety of the shoulder. At a glance, some blood seemed to have seeped through at the juncture between the shoulder and collar bone, depicting the source of the boy's injury.

Suspecting that that was not the only reason for the younger's distress, Kai moved his hand down to the hem of the shirt, and lifted it to expose another binding of bandages, this time encircling the slim abdomen. Another stain of red gave indication of a more pressing injury than that of the shoulder.

"…Don't…touch…me…!"

Kai was surprised to find himself sprawled flat on his back, his lungs depleted of air, while an angry male, looking exceptionally feral and exotic in an alluring way, stood glaring down at him, his face framed with silky tresses of his hair, struggling to drag in painful breaths. Keeping his expression neutral, Kai stared unwaveringly back up at the toned boy, who was now not only at fault for breaking and entering, but also for assaulting the homeowner.

In the time it took for Kai to blink, the boy was down on his knees, gasping for breath once more. Jerking coughs wracked his body then, and he covered his mouth with a slender hand, the appendage almost like a woman's. Kai watched as a red liquid coated the boy's fingers, streaming between any crevices the blood could manage in its desperate plight to reach the ground.

Kai moved forward to offer assistance to the mysterious figure, but was met with another glare, and a growl that didn't quite seem as menacing as the one uttered earlier, its effect diminished with the weakened state its owner was in. Smiling grimly, Kai ignored the warning and continued with his actions, knowing the feline-like male couldn't do much to stop him.

Stepping beside him, Kai put a hand on the boy's back, rubbing soothing circles to try and ease the coughing. He didn't really know how to treat the fits that shook the kid's body but he hoped that he could at least help to ebb the constant occurrence of them.

"Bryan, call that doctor that we used to treat Tala's pneumonia. He knows how to keep a secret," Kai ordered, an authoritative tone in his voice that brooked no arguments. He knew not himself just why he wanted the appearance of the boy kept quiet, but a gut feeling told him that it was the wisest choice. "Tyson, go get some rags and a basin of cool water, not cold. He's burning up. Max, you can help him." He commanded, and the others scurried to carry out their duties. Kenny and Tala's faces seemed to waver as they debated on what they could each do, before they decided to go with the others and offer assistance as needed.

As the heir, Kai was used to giving orders, and having them obeyed as well. He'd had much practice; from the time he had turned eighteen. Surprising what three years could do to a person. Once nothing but a mere 'commoner' as his grandfather liked to call the lower class, he had not known the luxury of a large mansion with its many servants. That was until his parents had passed away in a car accident when he was at the tender age of sixteen and custody of him had been turned over to his grandfather who insisted he lived his life with everything he should desire.

Then the old bastard had gone off and died, leaving his grandson with his fortune, the large estate he currently lived in, and God knows what else. He liked to leave all the businesses that had been handed over to him in the capable hands of those who had run them for years. Sure, he had to drop by and be filled in on details such as stock and profits once every month, but for the most part, he didn't have to deal with it. Instead, he was able to focus on the career _he _wanted, instead of the one his grandfather wanted _for _him. That job was as a bartender in his own bar: _The Flaming Phoenix._

The six friends who currently resided together had always talked about it during their high school years, and the dream had followed them after graduation, even with Tyson, Max, and Kenny who were all two years younger and a grade behind in school. They had finally found the perfect location to start their business, and even though Kai had the means to buy the place himself, the others had insisted that if they were going to be part owners, then they should all split the cost. It was a bit far, but distance was not a problem for someone with two private jets always at the ready. They had just made their purchase when they returned to the mansion to find the boy who was now gulping for air in the entryway.

His attention was shifted back to the struggling youth as Tyson and Max returned with their items. "Is this cool enough, Kai?" the blue haired boy asked, panting slightly from rushing and having carried the heavy basin full of water all the way from the kitchen at the far side of the mansion.

Kai tested the temperature with his fingers, and nodded his approval before taking one of the rags that Max held and submerging it. When it was satisfactorily wet, he wrung out the excess water and began to wipe the perspiration from the young boy's face. The teen protested weakly, shaking his head and holding out the hand that wasn't covered in blood in a gesture that told them to back off, before being plagued with another bout of coughing. Ignoring the dismissal once more, Kai continued to try and cool the heated flesh of the other, this time wiping the rag over the exposed skin of his neck, careful to avoid the bandages on the shoulder. His efforts were rewarded with a smack to his hand, causing the wet cloth to drop from his fingers and land on the floor with a splat.

His patience running thin, Kai picked up the rag and turned to glare at his offender. "I am trying to help," he said in a clipped tone of voice. "If you would rather die, then just say so," Kai snapped, at the end of his rope.

The boy seemed to hesitate, contemplating the statement, and for a moment, Kai thought that he would continue to deny help and choose to fend for himself, most likely leading to his death. A strange emotion, or something of the like, seemed to flare up at the thought of such a beautiful person, whether male or female, dying at such a young age. Not wanting to explore the feeling further, Kai mentally shook it off and focused his gaze on the youth's face. After what seemed an eternity, he finally nodded his consent, his breath wheezing in and out of his body as he was given a short reprieve from the coughing fits.

Kai continued to stare at the boy's face until he looked up, and Kai's crimson eyes met startling amber clouded and dull with pain. "What's your name?" he found himself asking before he could think better of it.

Hesitance crept its way into those eyes before: "…Rei. My name's Rei," he forced out, a slight tremor in his voice from the effort of talking after such a violent respiratory attack.

"Well, Rei, what are you doing here?" Kai found it necessary to question the youth. He seemed compelled to find the truth. By what, he didn't know.

Before Rei could answer however, he doubled over, his forehead almost touching the ground as his body shook with the force of more coughing. The attack ceased as he lay himself down on his side, almost in a fetal position, wheezing and gasping, his eyes closed once more, his bloody hand scratching in agony on the linoleum floor beneath him, leaving angry looking red streaks. The tremors continued, giving him the impression of a small child huddled for warmth.

Except this 'child' was currently bleeding and on a fast track to either Heaven or Hell.

A feeling almost akin to panic sneaked its way into Kai's body before a familiar sound reached his ears. The doorbell.

"I'll get it," Bryan declared before he stalked off, Tala trailing closely behind. Kai started, having not even noticed their return, but nodded to his friends, even though he knew they could no longer see him.

A few moments passed before the two Russians returned, an old, yet fairly healthy looking man wearing a white lab coat behind them. "Well now, Mr. Hiwatari," he began, "what seems to be the problem?"

Said Hiwatari stepped aside so the elderly doctor could examine the heaving Rei. "He's been like this for about ten minutes. He was coughing a lot until a few moments ago, and coughed up some blood, but then—" He paused and made a sweeping motion with his hand to indicate the position Rei was currently in. "And now…" Kai let the sentence drift off, not knowing exactly how to describe the condition that the young thief was in, if he even _was _a thief. And if he were, then he was a bad one, Kai mused.

"And now he's in a sorry state," the doctor provided for him.

"Yes," Kai affirmed.

"Well that's all fine and dandy, but what do we do with him now, Dr. D.?"

Mr. Dickinson smiled fondly at the pet name given to him by the fiery redhead. "Now we treat him," he stated simply, pulling a pair of latex gloves from the black bag he carried everywhere, and setting to work.

…

_His feet padded softly as he ran. His breathing was erratic and the pounding of his heart, the roaring of his own blood rushing through his body deafened him to anything else. _No! _he thought desperately. Without him, Rei had no one else. It couldn't be true!_

_But as he rounded the corner and burst through the door leading to his adopted father's office, the evidence of his death was there, clear as day._

_Rei's eyes clouded over with unshed tears, tears he refused to let fall. He would not grieve for his father until he caught the bastard who did this! He would avenge the only person he had ever truly cared for, truly trusted!_

_His chest heaving with the effort not to cry and shout out his rage and sorrow to the gods who seemed to damn him, he slowly walked forward to inspect the damage. The once proud man was brought down low, looking pitiful as he lay with his face in a puddle of his own blood. Large, jagged knife wounds, four or five of them, made themselves clearly apparent on the prone figure. Rei had only seen these wounds made by one person…_

"_Lee…"_

_**...**_

_Lee? Who was Lee? _Kai wondered as the name was whispered with such vehemence that he had been taken aback. He had been redressing the wounds on the boy's body that the good doctor had identified as gunshot wounds before he left.

"_Luckily," _he had said, _"the bullets went right through and he does not require surgery."_

Kai's chest contracted, nearly cutting off his air supply in the process. How could such a person, who looked like he should be in high school, worrying about his grades, looking forward to the next Friday night party, having a good time, and maybe even going out with a girlfriend or two, be caught up in such violence?

Furrowing his brows, Kai wondered at the strangeness of the whole situation and the feelings that had surfaced and been bombarding him since seeing the exotic beauty known as Rei. Running a hand through his bangs, he let out a long sigh. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

**Well? Good, bad? Please let me know!**


	4. Awakening

_**Warning!: **_**OOCness, language, violence, ****_GORE_, and later possible yaoi. Please do not read if you are squeamish!**

**_Disclaimer_: -checks- Nope, still don't own ='(**

**_A/N: _Ahem. Yes. It has been a looong time, hasn't it? -scratches head nervously- Sorry about that...eh heh heh...Well, this was initially going to be longer, but I think I'll stop here so you guys can have _something_ at least, right? Well, you can thank Cheerful-Pessimist for reminding me about this XD This chapter is dedicated to her! Thanks for pulling me out of my writer's block and getting my butt back in gear!**

_**Chapter Three**_

Their new charge didn't wake up for almost three days. But even then, the young man's amber eyes were hazy, clouded over with pain and fever, and a flicker of something that Kai himself, a master at deciphering others, couldn't even place. It was doubtful that Rei would even remember having been semi-conscious when he finally awoke fully, but the others tried to converse with him nonetheless in an attempt to probe some answers from him, all to no avail in the boy's delirious state of mind.

After being dragged into the darkness again, he had been left alone, save for the occasional times that a little water or some broth was trickled down his through for nourishment, or when he was given a sponge bath to cool his heated flesh.

After continuing the ritual for the umpteenth time, Kai sighed. Rei's condition seemed to be improving a bit, but Kai, as well as the others, were exhausted to no end. They had been taking turns with the tasks involving their ward, but it was still draining them continuously. Stress can do that to a person.

Wandering back to the living room where the others waited, the crimson-eyed enigma plopped himself down tiredly on the couch next to Tala.

"So how's the kitty doing?"

Kai scrubbed a hand over his face with another sigh and turned to his friend. "His fever's gone down a bit more, but he hasn't woken up again," he answered.

"Ah. But he _is_ getting better," Tala replied.

"Yeah. He's getting better."

Bryan grunted from the other side of Tala on the couch. "Not fast enough, if you ask me. How much longer are we going to have to take care of the brat?" he asked, annoyance lacing his words.

"Hey! He's hurt," the ever-obnoxious Tyson rebuked from the love seat. "We can't just leave him alone!" His outburst was met with enthusiastic nods from the sleepy-eyed blonde curled up beside him.

Bryan was about to reply when Kai cut him off with a glare. He could feel a headache coming on and did _not_ want to bear witness to an argument between two hotheads. "Just leave it be," he said sternly.

…

_Where am I?_

The low hum of voices reached his ears from somewhere down below. Figuring he'd be carted off to some prisoner's hospital by now, or even dead, Rei had not expected to awake to find that he was cozily tucked into the soft confines of an expensive feather bed.

Blinking to clear his sight, the assassin took in his surroundings and realized that he was in the same room he had slept in before encountering the owners of the mansion. _Why am I still here?_ He wondered in both curiosity and suspicion.

Cautiously, he tried to draw himself into a sitting position, only to hiss in pain and slump back down onto the pillows. _Damn! My body feels so heavy._

Trying again, he managed to shakily sit himself up and prop his sluggish body against the bed's headboard. Clutching his head in his hands, he tried to fight a wave of nausea that accompanied the change of position. Mentally taking in his body's physical condition, he ticked off the list in his head. A warmth that enveloped his whole body, making him long for a cool rag, an uncomfortable sweat that clung to him, making him feel sticky and gross, a dull pain in his shoulder and abdomen, but not _nearly_ as bad as it had been before. The list trailed on, but the basics were really all that needed noted.

Again, Rei heard voices from downstairs, and he decided that it would probably be in his best interests to get out while he still could. For all he knew, the guys that had showed up could be from one of the gangs that wanted to see his head roll. _Or maybe, _he thought darkly, _I'm having some drug-induced hallucination and I'm already locked up in some musky old cell, awaiting my impending death._

Well, there was another explanation: maybe the strangers that took care of him were actually trying to honestly help him. Rei pondered that for a moment before a snort of disbelief made it past his lips. Yeah, right. Why would they help him unless they had some ulterior motive? His tainted mind practically screamed. The world wasn't that kind of a place.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed the covers aside and swiftly swung his legs over the side of the bed. _Bad idea,_ he thought, nearly groaning aloud. Dizziness clouded his vision, causing everything to blur alarmingly.

Remaining perfectly still, Rei took deep breaths. _Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale._ Rei repeated the process over and over until the feeling faded and his mind cleared. Standing himself up, he waited for the dizziness to return, but was relieved and pleasantly surprised when it didn't.

Looking down at himself, the raven head discovered that he was wearing nothing but a pair of navy blue sweat pants, ones that were too long, he noted. Frowning, he noticed the bandages wrapped neatly over the wounds on his abdomen and shoulder, and idly wondered why someone would take the time to patch him up and even change his clothes.

Making his way over to the door annoyingly slow, Rei leaned against the doorframe, sweating profusely and dragging in ragged breaths at the small action. He would never take walking for granted again, he vowed, glaring at nothing in particular in the brightly illuminated hallway.

After catching his breath, the neko-jin forced his stiff frame to comply and walk over to the banister in a fashion similar to the last time he'd made the trek. There he saw the entranceway to the mansion was clear, but he could see a light coming from a room at the bottom floor, directly across from him. He could hear the same voices as before coming from it, and debated on whether it would be better chancing the front door or going around the back or side of the building. In his current state, he could risk losing consciousness once more, and if they found him trying to escape, then he may just find himself locked up this time, instead of residing in an open and unlocked room.

Scowling, he made the difficult decision to return to the room and wait for an opportune moment to escape.

As he achingly made his way back into the room, Rei idly wondered why a large and expensive place such as this didn't have any elevators. _Not that I could use it if they did,_ he mused, _it would make noise and draw attention to me._

Rei sighed and passed through the doorway, quietly closing it behind him, before heading to the comfortable-looking bedside arm chair. He'd had enough of lying in a bed: his back was stiff and his neck sore.

Curling comfortably into the confines of the over-stuffed chair, he dozed off before he even got a chance to come up with a decent plan of action.

…

"Hey, shouldn't you go check on Rei?" Tyson asked, eyeing Kai sleepily.

Kai cracked one eye open from his reclined position on the couch. "No, it's _your _turn, Tyson," he said coldly.

The blunette grumbled sleepily before shaking his head. "No, I'm going to bed. _You're _the one who wanted to take him in so he's _your _pet. You take care of him."

Despite the Russian's quick surge of anger at the statement, he had to smirk at the comment. He doubted their little 'guest' would like the thought of being called a pet. He could just see the kid having a fit over it, even though Kai knew nothing about him. _Well, nothing but his name…Rei…_

Sighing in defeat, he pushed himself tiredly off the couch with a slight grunt from the effort. Dragging himself sluggishly to the staircase, he ascended them slowly. He would definitely get Tyson for this; skipping his turn when they'd all agreed upon the order in which they'd check on the boy.

Reaching the top landing, he walked the short distance to the bedroom in which the boy was sleeping cozily—or as cozily as he could get, considering his injuries.

Pushing the door open slowly, the light from the hall cast a small ray of light over the bed that should have landed directly on the face of the sleeping Rei. Panic clawed at Kai's chest, though he didn't allow it to make its way to his face, when the blunette found the kid missing. In its wake were wrinkled blankets, half strewn on the floor, giving the impression of the bed having recently been slept in.

Cursing softly in his native tongue, the Russian stepped fully into the room and felt around on the wall for the light switch. When his fingers passed over it, he flipped it up, flooding the darkened room with light. His pupils burned, being unaccustomed to the brightness, and he tightly closed them on reflex before cracking them open cautiously, allowing them to adjust.

When he was able to see without colorful spots floating within his line of vision, he looked around slowly, taking in his surroundings. When he finally spotted the young boy, his chest tightened uncomfortably with some unknown emotion at the sight. There, in his lazy boy chair, curled up like a kitten taking one of its midday naps, was Rei.

For the first time since Kai had met the teen, he looked peaceful, serene. His face was relaxed in slumber, his lips slightly parted to allow the gentle respirations to pass through them. Gone was the distrust he had shown the Russian and his friends, gone was the painful expression, gone was the rage and, yes, even the self-hatred Kai had briefly glanced when Rei had known he'd been caught.

Kai allowed a rare smile to grace his features momentarily, before stepping quietly over to the bed and picking up a blanket. Carrying it over to the chair, he leaned over and placed it carefully on the sleeping boy, trying his best not to wake him.

…

Rei heard the door open and silently cursed himself for his vulnerability. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _How could he have allowed himself to fall asleep when he was supposed to be escaping? _Idiot! _

Not moving a muscle and forcing himself to still appear like he was sleeping peacefully, he heard the sharp intake of breath when his 'visitor' discovered he was no longer in bed and wondered exactly what it meant. Was he worried for Rei's safety? Probably not. Was he worried about his own safety for losing the assassin? More than likely.

Rei fought the instinct to get up and fight, to _kill_. He would not win in his condition in a full-out physical assault. No, he would have to bide his time, wait for an opportune moment to strike.

When light chased the darkness away, he had to fight desperately not to squint his eyes at the invading brightness. When the person at the door didn't make a move to enter the room, Rei could only assume that he was allowing his eyes to adjust. He mentally gave himself a little congratulation at the small accomplishment when the person finally stepped over the threshold.

Rei had to consciously control his breathing when he sensed the figure stop in front of him. He could practically _feel_ the other's eyes burning a path along his face, checking him over, evaluating the situation.

He allowed himself a small, inaudible sigh of relief when the unknown visitor finally turned away from him and headed towards the bed. It was short-lived, however, when he heard a rustling sound from the bedcovers, before a blanket was placed over top of him and gently tucked around him. _What the hell?_ He thought in confusion.

Of their own volition, his eyes snapped open, amber orbs immediately locking and holding with crimson ones. _Shit!_ He mentally cursed, before tossing the covers aside and throwing his full weight at the Russian.

"Oof!" Kai grunted at the unexpected weight on his chest. He stumbled backwards before the backs of his knees connected with the bed and he tumbled down upon it, gravity carrying his assailant with him. When Kai got his bearings, he looked up into those captivating golden eyes and realized the position they were in. Rei lay atop of Kai on the bed, straddling his waist. In their fall, Kai had moved his hands to the younger's hips in a subconscious attempt at softening the fall.

An unexpected feeling of arousal assaulted Kai in waves, nearly knocking the breath from his lungs. Without conscious thought as to what he was doing, he lifted his hand, brushing his knuckles over Rei's cheek softly, watching in wonder as those beautiful orbs widened a fraction before the boy pulled back completely, taking up a defensive stance in the center of the room. A tentative hand came up cautiously to cup over the place he touched.

Kai chuckled quietly at the boy's reaction, drawing a glare from him, before slowly lifting himself from the bed, trying to appear as harmless as possible. "I take it you're feeling better." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

For a moment, the Russian thought Rei wasn't going to answer, before, "And if I am?" A pause. "Who are you working for?"

Kai was truly puzzled at the inquiry. "Working for? I don't work for anyone," he stated, misinterpreting the question. "I'm my own boss."

Rei bared his teeth, something akin to a hiss passing through his lips. So he was already caught. No wonder he hadn't been sent off somewhere; they had him right where they wanted him! _Damn it!_

Kai was surprised at the sudden feral attitude and showed it with an arched eyebrow. "Is there a problem with owning my own business?" he queried.

"No, of course not," Rei spat back sarcastically. His mind spun in circles as he tried to remember if he'd ever met this man on a job somewhere. He was positive that this Kai person wasn't a leader of any of the yakuza gangs who were after his head but…had he been hired by someone? Maybe he had recently made an alliance with one of the other gangs and was looking to prove himself or maybe earn some favoritism?

Damn, he was so confused! His mind was muddled; he didn't know what to do!

Seeing that the boy wasn't going to say anything further, Kai decided to take things into his own hands. "So, _Rei_," he stressed the boy's name and had the satisfaction of seeing the other male flinch slightly and turn a glare on him. "How did you get yourself into such a mess?" He cocked his head to the side, giving himself the impression of polite interest.

Rei's eyes narrowed. What a stupid mistake, giving his name to the enemy. What's worse—he even accepted help from them! He had foolishly given his consent for help rather than going alone because of his damn fear of death before he received his rightful revenge on—

"…Lee."

Rei's head snapped up and he growled. What had he just said?

Kai noticed the murderous look on the teen's face, in his eyes, in his body posture, and knew he had pressed a button.

"What…did you…just say?" Rei ground out between his tightly clenched teeth.

Curious now, Kai repeated his question. "Who is Lee?" The Russian barely finished the sentence before he found himself doubled over, clutching his stomach where he'd just been kicked, _hard._ Looking up, he barely caught a glimpse of the retreating back as it made its way out the door and towards the stairs. "Shit! Tala!" he called out.

**Umm...I know, bad place to end but...I was out of ideas and I thought I'd give you something to read for the time being until I can get my _real_ muse back. Sorry =S**

**Until then, please tell me what you thought about this chapter! My writing style has changed a lot since I've written for FanFiction...I hope it doesn't clash too much with what I've already written for this story...**

**~Rider~**


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